Sweet and Savory Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

October 8, 2017homemade

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 10

These delicious bars may taste as good as a candy bar, but they couldn’t be more different when it comes to nutritional value. These bars are packed with high-fiber oats, and protein rich almonds and nut butters. They are sweetened with natural, unrefined sugars from dates and honey, and for indulgence they also include bittersweet chocolate (which is very low in sugar and high in antioxidants). The oats will aid in your digestive health, and also stabilize your blood sugar levels as the body breaks them down slowly. This means long lasting energy with no highs, or crashes. Almonds are packed with vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber, and are associated with a number of health benefits. Just a handful of almonds, approximately one ounce, contains one-eighth of our necessary daily protein. These, along with the nut butter, will provide heart healthy fats, as well as a satisfaction level that will keep your body satiated and fulfilled for hours. The benefits from dates range from digestive support to cancer fighting, and they are packed with nutrients, minerals, vitamins and fiber. When you need a snack on the go, these bars are definitely an excellent choice!

Print Recipe

August 27, 2017Anna Rakoczy

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 10

Ingredients

1 cup Medjool dates, packed

4 tbs Honey, maple syrup, or agave

1 tsp Vanilla extract

4 tbs Nut butter (eg. Almond, Cashew)

1 cup Almonds, roasted and unsalted, loosely chopped

1½ cup Rolled oats

¼ cup Dark chocolate chips

¼ cup Dried cranberries or raisins

Instructions

1)

Process dates in a food processor or blender until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should form a “dough” like consistency, or roll into a ball. If using a blender, add a splash of water if needed to get it going.

2)

Process chopped almonds in a food processor for an additional minute, pulsing as needed.

3)

Process half the oats until ground, leaving the other half whole.

4)

Place oats, almonds, dates in a bowl and set aside.

5)

Warm honey, vanilla, and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout.

6)

Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8×8 dish or other small pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily.

7)

Press down with force until uniformly flattened. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, and let set in fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes to harden.

8)

Remove bars from pan and chop into 10 even bars. Store in an airtight container.

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AboutAnna Rakoczy,Co-Founder

Anna is the Co-Founder & Chief Instructor of Homemade Cooking. She has Masters Degrees from Stanford and UC Berkeley and is a Fulbright Scholar. Anna presented at the Food Summit in 2013, the [email protected] Conference in 2014 and the Berkeley Food Innovation Lab, and has spent thousands of hours coaching Homemade members to lose tens of thousands of pounds, and reverse chronic medical conditions.

About Homemade Cooking

At Homemade Cooking we’ve helped over +1,000 members to lose tens of thousands of pounds and reverse high blood sugars, pressure & cholesterol – without dieting, deprivation or guilt. We’ve partnered with Standford Hospitals, Standford University and 7 medical clinics have referred patients to us, because our simple system is proven and it works. We’ve also worked with companies like Google, Hewlett Packard & Da Vita as well as the National Kidney Foundation.